Collin County Probate Court 1
2100 Bloomdale Rd, Suite 12010, McKinney, TX 75071. About 5 miles by road from downtown McKinney. Filing fee about $385.
Letters testamentary in McKinney, TX
McKinney is the Collin County seat, so a McKinney estate goes to court close to home, at the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building on Bloomdale Road. The county clerk's vital records office and the county law library are on the same campus. Collin County's probate court says uncontested cases are often heard by Zoom, so the hearing itself may happen from home.
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For a McKinney resident who left a will, letters testamentary come from Collin County Probate Court 1 in McKinney. The filing fee for the application runs about $385. The court admits the will and appoints the executor at a hearing, the executor takes the oath and meets any bond requirement, and the clerk issues the letters. Collin County requires a licensed attorney for letters applications. Legacywyse prepares the facts and documents the attorney needs.
Reference cost
$2,000-$6,000 all-in for this path, including the filing fee, certified copies, and notary work. Attorney fees push administration higher.
One county
McKinney estates are filed in Collin County.
Which county handles a McKinney estate
Texas files probate in the county where the person lived, not where they died or where the bank is. Texas Estates Code § 33.001 sets that rule. McKinney residents file in Collin County, at Collin County Probate Court 1 in McKinney.
Full county guides: independent administration in Collin County. Letters testamentary come out of that same court process.
Collin County Probate Court 1
2100 Bloomdale Rd, Suite 12010, McKinney, TX 75071
(972) 548-6463
About 5 miles by road from downtown McKinney.
Court websiteHow to get letters testamentary in Collin County
Confirm the county
Texas files probate in the county where the person lived. For a McKinney resident, that is Collin County.
File the application with Collin County Probate Court 1
The application asks the court to admit the will to probate and issue letters testamentary. The filing fee runs about $385. Collin County requires a licensed attorney for letters applications. Legacywyse prepares the facts and documents the attorney needs. The attorney files it online through eFileTexas.
Wait for the 10-day citation period
The clerk posts citation at the courthouse, and interested parties may contest during this window. Courts usually set the hearing 2-4 weeks after filing.
Attend the hearing
The court hears proof of the will and, if the proof is sufficient, admits it and appoints the executor. Collin County's probate court says uncontested probate cases are often handled by Zoom, and its website posts the Zoom hearing instructions.
Qualify, then collect the letters
The executor files the oath and meets any bond requirement. The clerk then issues the letters, a certificate under the court's seal that banks and other institutions ask to see.
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When the court needs the will's witnesses
Turn to the last pages of the will before the attorney files. If a notarized affidavit signed by the person and the witnesses is attached, the will is self-proved, and Texas Estates Code § 251.102 lets the court admit it without the witnesses' testimony.
If the will is not self-proved, at least one of the witnesses who signed it must swear to how it was signed, by testimony or affidavit in open court. Section 256.153 allows a deposition instead when the witnesses live outside Collin County or cannot attend. A will written entirely in the person's handwriting needs two witnesses who know the handwriting.
Related guides: proof of will by a subscribing witness and proof of a handwritten will.
Local details for McKinney
Certified death certificates
The Collin County Clerk's vital records office is at 2300 Bloomdale Rd. in McKinney, on the same campus as the courts building. Death records are usually available about two weeks after the death, and only close family, the informant on the record, or someone with their signed authorization can get a copy.
Collin County death certificate requirementsCollin County law library
The Curt B. Henderson Law Library is on the lower level of the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building, the same building as the probate court. It is open to the public on weekdays, and a librarian can help you find statutes and reference material.
Law library hours and contactNotice to creditors
After the executor qualifies, the notice to creditors runs once in a Collin County newspaper of general circulation, such as McKinney Courier-Gazette or Plano Star Courier.
Notice to creditors guideCommon questions
Where do I file for letters testamentary in McKinney, TX?
With Collin County Probate Court 1, 2100 Bloomdale Rd, Suite 12010, McKinney, TX 75071, or online through eFileTexas.gov. Texas files probate in the county where the person lived, so McKinney residents file in McKinney.
How much do letters testamentary cost in Collin County?
The Collin County filing fee for the application runs about $385. Certified copies of the letters, the creditor notice, and any attorney fees add to that, and a reference range for the whole administration is $2,000-$6,000. Counties update fees, so re-verify before filing.
Do I need a lawyer to get letters testamentary in McKinney?
Yes. Collin County's probate court says an attorney is required whenever someone needs to be approved to administer the estate, and letters are that approval. Legacywyse prepares the facts and documents the attorney needs.
Does the court need the witnesses who signed the will?
Not if the will is self-proved, meaning a notarized affidavit signed by the person and the witnesses is attached. Texas Estates Code Section 251.102 lets a self-proved will be admitted without the witnesses' testimony. If it is not self-proved, at least one witness must swear to how it was signed, in court or by deposition if they cannot attend.
Do I have to go to the courthouse in McKinney for the hearing?
Not always. Collin County's probate court says uncontested probate cases are often handled by Zoom, and its website posts the Zoom hearing instructions. The court decides the format, so follow the instructions in your hearing notice.
How long does it take to get letters testamentary in McKinney?
Courts usually set an uncontested hearing two to four weeks after filing, after a 10-day citation period. The clerk issues letters once the executor takes the oath and meets any bond requirement.
Review note
Updated October 2, 2026. Legacywyse links to Texas court, statute, tax, and county sources when a guide discusses filing, authority, taxes, or local probate process. The content is general information, not legal advice.
Official sources
Texas Estates Code § 33.001 (venue)Collin County Probate Court: Do I need an attorney?Texas Estates Code § 251.102 (self-proved wills)Texas Estates Code § 256.153 (proving a will)Texas Estates Code Chapter 306 (letters)Collin County Probate Court 1Collin County death certificate requirementsLaw library hours and contact
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